Top 30 Most Common Manual Testing Interview Questions For 2 Years Experience You Should Prepare For
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
Landing a manual testing role requires demonstrating not only your foundational knowledge but also practical experience gained over your career. For those with around 2 years of experience, interviewers look for a solid understanding of testing concepts, practical application, and how you fit into a team and development lifecycle. Preparing for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience is crucial for success. This guide covers the most common questions you’re likely to face, providing insights into why they are asked and how to structure your answers effectively. Mastering these manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience will showcase your capabilities and boost your confidence.
What Are Manual Testing Interview Questions for 2 Years Experience?
Manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience are designed to evaluate a candidate's hands-on testing skills, knowledge of software testing principles, and ability to apply these in real-world scenarios. At the 2-year mark, interviewers expect more than just theoretical knowledge; they want to see how you've used concepts like test case design, defect reporting, and testing methodologies in projects. These manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience often probe into your experience with specific testing types (e.g., regression, functional), your understanding of the software development and testing lifecycles, and your ability to communicate effectively about technical issues. Preparing tailored answers for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience demonstrates your practical understanding and readiness for the role.
Why Do Interviewers Ask Manual Testing Interview Questions for 2 Years Experience?
Interviewers ask manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience to gauge a candidate's practical competence and project experience. With two years in the field, you should have encountered various testing challenges and learned how to apply testing techniques effectively. These questions help interviewers understand your problem-solving approach, your familiarity with common testing artifacts like test cases and defect reports, and your awareness of best practices. For manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience, recruiters assess how well you can articulate your processes and experiences, ensuring you possess the fundamental skills and practical exposure necessary to contribute effectively to their testing efforts from day one. It’s about validating your resume claims and understanding your professional growth.
Preview List
What experience do you have in manual testing?
What is the difference between QA and Testing?
Can you explain the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
What is the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)?
What is a Test Case? What should it contain?
What is a Bug or Defect?
What is the difference between Severity and Priority of a defect?
How do you write a good Test Case?
What is a Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM)?
What are the different types of Manual Testing?
What is Exploratory Testing?
Explain Defect Life Cycle.
What are the 7 principles of Software Testing?
What is Black Box Testing?
What is the difference between Validation and Verification?
How do you prioritize test cases?
What is the difference between Smoke Testing and Sanity Testing?
What is Regression Testing?
Explain Boundary Value Analysis.
What is Equivalence Partitioning?
What is the difference between Test Scenario and Test Case?
What documents do you prepare before testing?
What is a Test Plan?
What are the challenges of Manual Testing?
What is Adhoc Testing?
What is Usability Testing?
What is the procedure of Manual Testing?
What is the importance of Test Data in testing?
Describe the difference between Load Testing and Stress Testing.
What tools have you used for defect tracking?
1. What experience do you have in manual testing?
Why you might get asked this:
This is a standard opening question to understand your background and project exposure. It sets the stage for further discussion about your skills and practical application over two years.
How to answer:
Summarize your experience, mentioning project types (web, mobile), key responsibilities (test design, execution, reporting), and types of testing performed.
Example answer:
I have about 2 years of hands-on experience in manual testing, primarily on e-commerce web applications and a banking mobile app. My roles involved understanding requirements, writing detailed test cases, executing test runs, and logging defects using tools like Jira. I focused on functional, regression, and UAT testing cycles.
2. What is the difference between QA and Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
Interviewers check if you understand the scope of quality activities beyond just executing tests, which is important for overall software quality with 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Explain that QA is a process-oriented approach to prevent defects, while testing is an activity to find defects. QA is broader, testing is a subset.
Example answer:
QA, or Quality Assurance, is about preventing defects through process improvement and ensuring quality throughout the SDLC. Testing is an activity within QA focused on identifying existing defects in the software by executing it against requirements. QA prevents, Testing detects.
3. Can you explain the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
Why you might get asked this:
Understanding SDLC shows you know where testing fits in the overall software creation process, essential knowledge for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Briefly describe the typical phases of SDLC (Requirements, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, Maintenance) and highlight testing's role within it.
Example answer:
SDLC is a framework outlining phases like Requirements, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance. It structures software creation from idea to delivery. Testing is a critical phase where the software is evaluated to ensure it meets specified requirements before release.
4. What is the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC)?
Why you might get asked this:
This tests your understanding of the specific phases involved in a structured testing process, relevant for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience.
How to answer:
List and briefly describe the key phases of STLC: Requirement Analysis, Test Planning, Test Case Development, Environment Setup, Test Execution, and Test Cycle Closure.
Example answer:
STLC is the sequence of activities in the testing process. It includes Requirement Analysis, Test Planning, Test Case Development, Test Environment Setup, Test Execution, and Test Cycle Closure. These steps ensure a structured and effective approach to testing software.
5. What is a Test Case? What should it contain?
Why you might get asked this:
This is fundamental. They want to know if you know the basic building block of manual testing and its components.
How to answer:
Define a test case and list its essential components like ID, Description, Steps, Expected Result, Actual Result, Status, etc.
Example answer:
A test case is a set of conditions and inputs under which a tester determines if a software feature works correctly. It should contain a Test Case ID, Description, Preconditions, Test Steps, Expected Result, Actual Result, and Status.
6. What is a Bug or Defect?
Why you might get asked this:
Defect identification and reporting are core to manual testing. This verifies you know what you're looking for.
How to answer:
Define a bug or defect as a flaw in the software causing it to deviate from expected behavior or requirements.
Example answer:
A bug or defect is any deviation in the software from the expected behavior or specified requirements. It's an error or flaw that causes the program to produce incorrect or unexpected results during execution.
7. What is the difference between Severity and Priority of a defect?
Why you might get asked this:
This question assesses your ability to classify and understand the impact and urgency of defects, crucial for effective bug management with 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Explain that Severity is the impact of the defect on functionality (Critical, Major, Minor), set by the tester. Priority is the urgency of fixing it (High, Medium, Low), usually set by the product/project manager.
Example answer:
Severity defines the impact of a defect on the application's functionality, like blocking a critical feature. Priority determines the order or urgency in which a defect should be fixed, often based on business impact. Testers assign severity, while leads or managers assign priority.
8. How do you write a good Test Case?
Why you might get asked this:
They want to know your methodology for creating effective, actionable test cases that others can follow.
How to answer:
Describe qualities of a good test case: clear, concise, specific steps, expected results, covering positive and negative scenarios, and being reusable.
Example answer:
A good test case is clear, concise, and easy to understand and execute. It should have specific, step-by-step instructions, a definitive expected result, and cover both valid and invalid inputs or scenarios. They should be atomic and reusable.
9. What is a Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM)?
Why you might get asked this:
Understanding RTM shows you know how to link testing back to requirements, ensuring comprehensive coverage, a good sign for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Explain that RTM is a document that maps user requirements to test cases, ensuring every requirement is tested and verifying test case coverage.
Example answer:
A Requirement Traceability Matrix is a document that links requirements to test cases. It ensures that all specified requirements are covered by corresponding test cases, helping to track testing progress and identify gaps in coverage.
10. What are the different types of Manual Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
This tests your breadth of knowledge regarding various testing techniques applicable in manual testing.
How to answer:
List common types like Functional, Regression, Usability, Smoke, Sanity, Exploratory, Acceptance testing, etc.
Example answer:
Common types include Functional Testing (verifying features against requirements), Regression Testing (ensuring new changes don't break existing functions), Usability Testing (checking user-friendliness), Smoke Testing (basic critical functions), and Exploratory Testing (unplanned testing).
11. What is Exploratory Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
Exploratory testing is valuable for finding unexpected bugs. Knowing this technique shows adaptability, useful for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Define it as a type of testing where testers learn, design test cases, and execute them simultaneously, often without detailed documentation, relying on their experience.
Example answer:
Exploratory testing is a hands-on approach where testers simultaneously design, execute, and learn about the software. It's about exploring the application freely to discover issues that might be missed by formal test cases, often done with minimal planning.
12. Explain Defect Life Cycle.
Why you might get asked this:
Understanding the defect workflow shows you know the process from finding a bug to verifying its fix, key for manual testing roles with 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Describe the typical states a defect goes through: New, Assigned, Open, Fixed, Retest, Verified, Closed, Rejected.
Example answer:
The Defect Life Cycle tracks a bug's status from discovery to closure. States typically include New (found), Assigned (to developer), Open (being fixed), Fixed (fix ready), Retest (tester verifies fix), Verified (fix works), Closed (verified), and Rejected (not a bug or won't fix).
13. What are the 7 principles of Software Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
This tests your understanding of the fundamental concepts guiding effective software testing practices.
How to answer:
List and briefly explain the seven principles established by ISTQB.
Example answer:
The 7 principles are: Testing shows presence of defects, Exhaustive testing is impossible, Early testing saves time, Defects cluster, Beware of the pesticide paradox, Testing is context-dependent, and Absence of errors is a fallacy.
14. What is Black Box Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
This is a core testing methodology. Knowing it is essential for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience as manual testing is often black box.
How to answer:
Explain that it's testing without knowledge of the internal code or structure, focusing solely on inputs and outputs based on requirements.
Example answer:
Black Box Testing evaluates the functionality of a software application based on requirements specifications, without knowing the internal code structure, design, or implementation details. The focus is on the inputs and outputs of the system.
15. What is the difference between Validation and Verification?
Why you might get asked this:
These terms are often confused but represent distinct concepts in quality assurance. Knowing the difference is important.
How to answer:
Verification is "Are we building the product right?" (checking against specs), while Validation is "Are we building the right product?" (checking if it meets user needs).
Example answer:
Verification is the process of evaluating whether a product meets specified requirements, essentially checking if we are building the product correctly. Validation is evaluating if the product satisfies the user's needs and expectations, ensuring we built the right product.
16. How do you prioritize test cases?
Why you might get asked this:
In limited time, testers must prioritize effectively. This question assesses your practical judgment, relevant for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Explain prioritization based on factors like business criticality, frequency of use, risk impact, dependencies, and recent code changes.
Example answer:
I prioritize test cases based on the business criticality of the feature, frequency of user usage, potential impact of failure, and any dependencies on other modules. Higher priority is given to core functionalities and areas with recent changes or known defect clusters.
17. What is the difference between Smoke Testing and Sanity Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
These terms are specific types of testing performed after builds. Knowing the distinction shows you understand common testing workflows.
How to answer:
Explain that Smoke Testing is a quick test on a new build to ensure critical functionalities work (system stability), while Sanity Testing is a focused test on a specific area after small changes (rationality of changes).
Example answer:
Smoke testing is performed on a new build to verify that critical functionalities are working correctly, ensuring the build is stable enough for further testing. Sanity testing is a focused test done on a small portion of the application after minor changes to ensure the changes work as expected and haven't broken related areas.
18. What is Regression Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
Regression testing is a frequent task in manual testing, especially with ongoing development. Your experience here is important.
How to answer:
Define regression testing as re-running test cases (both functional and non-functional) to ensure that recent code changes haven't introduced new defects or negatively impacted existing functionality.
Example answer:
Regression testing is performed to ensure that recent code changes, bug fixes, or enhancements haven't negatively affected existing, unchanged functionalities of the software. It involves re-executing selected test cases to confirm stability.
19. Explain Boundary Value Analysis.
Why you might get asked this:
This is a common test case design technique. Interviewers want to know if you can apply systematic approaches to test design.
How to answer:
Describe BVA as a technique focused on testing values at the boundaries of input domains, including minimum, maximum, and values just inside and outside the boundaries.
Example answer:
Boundary Value Analysis is a black box test design technique where test cases are designed to include values at the boundaries of equivalence partitions. This includes testing minimum, maximum, just-below-minimum, and just-above-maximum values for input fields.
20. What is Equivalence Partitioning?
Why you might get asked this:
Another fundamental test case design technique. Knowledge of EP shows you can efficiently design test cases.
How to answer:
Explain EP as dividing input data into partitions where all values in a partition are expected to have the same outcome, allowing you to test only one value from each partition.
Example answer:
Equivalence Partitioning is a test case design technique that divides input data into partitions, where all values within a partition are treated the same by the software. This reduces the number of test cases needed by testing only one representative value from each valid and invalid partition.
21. What is the difference between Test Scenario and Test Case?
Why you might get asked this:
These terms are often used interchangeably but have distinct meanings. Knowing the difference shows precision in your testing vocabulary.
How to answer:
Explain that a test scenario is a high-level idea or functionality to be tested (e.g., "Test login function"), while a test case is the detailed steps to perform that test scenario.
Example answer:
A test scenario is a high-level statement about what needs to be tested, like "Verify user login functionality." A test case is a detailed, step-by-step procedure defining inputs, actions, and expected results to test a specific part of that scenario.
22. What documents do you prepare before testing?
Why you might get asked this:
This assesses your understanding of the preparatory phase of STLC and the key artifacts involved in test planning and design.
How to answer:
List common documents like the Test Plan, Test Cases, Requirement Traceability Matrix, and possibly Test Data.
Example answer:
Before starting test execution, I typically prepare documents like the Test Plan, which outlines the scope and strategy; detailed Test Cases; the Requirement Traceability Matrix; and organize the necessary Test Data.
23. What is a Test Plan?
Why you might get asked this:
The Test Plan is the blueprint for testing. Understanding its purpose and contents is essential for manual testing roles with 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Define a test plan as a formal document outlining the scope, objectives, approach, resources, schedule, and deliverables for testing activities.
Example answer:
A Test Plan is a comprehensive document that details the scope, objectives, strategy, schedule, resources, and deliverables for testing a software product. It defines what will be tested, how it will be tested, when, and by whom.
24. What are the challenges of Manual Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
Acknowledging challenges shows you understand the limitations and complexities of manual testing, a mature perspective for someone with 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Mention challenges like it being time-consuming, repetitive, prone to human error, scalability issues for large projects, and difficulty covering extensive test matrices.
Example answer:
Challenges include its time-consuming nature, especially for repetitive tasks, the potential for human error, scalability issues when dealing with large or complex systems, and difficulty in achieving comprehensive test coverage compared to automation for certain scenarios.
25. What is Adhoc Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
Adhoc testing is part of an experienced tester's toolkit, often used alongside formal methods.
How to answer:
Describe it as informal, unstructured testing performed without documentation or planning, often done to find defects quickly through intuition and experience.
Example answer:
Adhoc testing is informal testing performed without specific documentation or planning. It's often done spontaneously based on the tester's intuition and experience to find defects quickly, particularly useful when time is limited or for exploratory purposes.
26. What is Usability Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
Usability is a key quality attribute. Knowing how to test for it is important.
How to answer:
Define it as testing focused on how easy and intuitive an application is to use for its target audience.
Example answer:
Usability testing focuses on evaluating how user-friendly, efficient, and easy-to-learn an application is. It often involves real users performing tasks to identify navigation issues, confusing interfaces, or difficulties in completing desired actions.
27. What is the procedure of Manual Testing?
Why you might get asked this:
This is a process question, assessing your understanding of the practical steps you follow day-to-day in a manual testing role with 2 years experience.
How to answer:
Outline the typical sequence: Requirement analysis, test planning, test case design, test environment setup, test execution, defect logging, re-testing/regression, and test cycle closure.
Example answer:
The manual testing procedure typically involves understanding requirements, creating a test plan, designing detailed test cases, setting up the test environment, executing test cases, logging and tracking defects, re-testing fixed defects, performing regression testing, and finally, test cycle closure activities.
28. What is the importance of Test Data in testing?
Why you might get asked this:
Test data is crucial for execution. Understanding its importance shows practical awareness.
How to answer:
Explain that appropriate test data is essential to execute test cases effectively, cover various scenarios (positive, negative, boundary), and ensure accurate validation of functionality.
Example answer:
Test data is critical because it allows test cases to be executed under realistic or specific conditions. Using the right data, including positive, negative, and boundary values, ensures thorough coverage and accurate validation of the application's behavior against requirements.
29. Describe the difference between Load Testing and Stress Testing.
Why you might get asked this:
While often part of performance testing (sometimes automated), understanding these concepts is valuable for manual testers as they interact with performance aspects.
How to answer:
Explain Load Testing measures performance under anticipated user load, while Stress Testing determines the breaking point by pushing the system beyond its normal limits.
Example answer:
Load testing evaluates application performance under expected user load conditions to see how it behaves under normal usage. Stress testing, conversely, pushes the system beyond its normal capacity to find its breaking point and observe how it recovers from extreme load conditions.
30. What tools have you used for defect tracking?
Why you might get asked this:
Practical experience with common tools is expected. This question confirms your familiarity with industry-standard defect management systems.
How to answer:
Name the specific tools you have used, such as Jira, Bugzilla, Azure DevOps, Quality Center (ALM), or others, and briefly mention your activities with them (logging, tracking, reporting).
Example answer:
In my experience, I have primarily used Jira for defect tracking and project management. I'm comfortable logging bugs with detailed steps and attachments, updating their status, tracking their lifecycle, and generating basic defect reports within the tool. I've also had exposure to Azure DevOps.
Other Tips to Prepare for a Manual Testing Interview Questions for 2 Years Experience
Preparing thoroughly for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience involves more than just memorizing answers. Practice articulating your responses clearly and concisely. Think about specific examples from your 2 years of experience to illustrate your points – mentioning a challenging bug you found or a time you improved a test process adds significant value. Review your resume and be ready to discuss any project or skill listed in detail. As tech veteran John Doe wisely said, "Preparation doesn't guarantee success, but a lack thereof guarantees failure." Familiarize yourself with common testing methodologies like Agile or Waterfall if you haven't already, as these manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience often touch upon lifecycle models. Use resources designed for interview practice; tools like Verve AI Interview Copilot can provide mock interview experiences and tailored feedback, helping you refine your answers to manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience. Practice explaining technical concepts in simple terms. Remember, enthusiasm for testing and a willingness to learn are also highly valued. Utilize platforms offering interactive practice sessions to get comfortable answering questions on the spot. Verve AI Interview Copilot (https://vervecopilot.com) is a great resource for this, simulating real interview scenarios for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience and offering AI-driven feedback. Focus on demonstrating your thought process and problem-solving skills. As quality advocate Jane Smith noted, "Testing is thinking." Show them you can think critically about software quality. Leverage tools like Verve AI Interview Copilot to build confidence before the big day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How specific should my experience answers be for 2 years experience?
A1: Be specific about projects, responsibilities, tools, and achievements, but keep answers concise and relevant to manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience.
Q2: Should I mention automation if I'm applying for a manual role?
A2: Yes, briefly mentioning awareness or basic exposure shows you are keeping up with industry trends, but focus on manual testing skills for 2 years experience.
Q3: How important are tools for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience?
A3: Very important. Be prepared to discuss tools you've used for test management, defect tracking, and communication.
Q4: What soft skills are key for manual testing interview questions for 2 years experience?
A4: Communication, attention to detail, analytical thinking, collaboration, and time management are highly valued.
Q5: Is it okay to say I don't know an answer during the interview?
A5: It's better to admit you don't know but express willingness to learn or discuss how you would find the answer.
Q6: How can I demonstrate my problem-solving skills?
A6: Share examples from your 2 years experience where you identified complex issues or found creative ways to test difficult scenarios.
